Indicating means for bottles.



E. E. OETTINGER.

INDICATING MEANS FOR BOTTLES. I APPLlCATlON FILED ARR. 14,1915.

1,203,249. j Patented Oct. 31,1916.

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M mtoww EDWARD E. OETTIN GER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

INDICATING MEANS FOR BOTTLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct.31, 1916.

Application filed April 14, 1915. Serial N 0. 21,415.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD E. OETTIN- GER, a citizen of the United States, residing at 941 East Fifty-fourth street, Apartment No. 3, Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indicating Means for Bottles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in indicating means for bottles or like receptacles, whereby it can be readily detected when the original contents or parts thereof have been removed from the bottle with or without the bottle being refilled.

An important object of the invention is to provide means of the above mentioned character, which are simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and convenient in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view through a bottle embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a cup, Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectionalview through the guide and rack-bars, showing a plan view of the cup, Fig. 5 is a plan view of the float-indicator, Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 5, and, Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view through the neck of the bottle, the same being inverted, and through the elements arranged therein.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 10 designates a bottle, provided with a contracted neck 11, as shown.

Extending axially within the body portion of the bottle are alternate smooth guide and rack-bars 12 and 13, arranged in a circular group with the smooth guide bars extending inwardly for a substantial distance beyond the rack-bars 13, as more clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. At their lower ends the bars 12 and 13 are secured to a ring or plate 14, and engaging the bottom of the bottle. The upper end of these bars are secured to a ring 15 project ng to the neck 1 as ho n,-

I ders 19, thus The numeral 16 designates a glass cup, with its upper end open and a hole in the bottom. This cup is provided in its sides, as more clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, with longitudinal slots or grooves 17, receiving the inner edges of the guide bar 12. As more clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 7, the ring 15 is provided with an annular recess 18, while a shoulder 19 is formed by the upper por-' tion of the guide bars 12 being cut away for a slight distance so that the cup, inserted and passed below the projections 20 of bars 13, may be turned until the grooves 17 ofthe cup are directly over said shoulpermitting the cup to slide down into position as shown in Fig. 4. The alternate rack-bars 13 which project inwardly a greater distance, at this point only as shown at 20, provide stop shoulders 21, projecting inwardly past the teeth 22 of the rack-bars '13, and serving to positively limit the downward movement of the cup,

when the bottle is emptyof its contents, as

more clearly illustrated in Fig. 7.

The numeral 23 designates a float-indicator, the float portion of which is formed of cork. This fioat-indicator has its body portion slitted at 24, forming teeth 25 and 26.,

The teeth 25 are adapted to swing upwardly with relation to the body portion, and are provided at their bending points and upon their longitudinal sides with transverse slits 27, while the teeth 26 are adapted to bend downwardly only and are provided upon their upper sides and at their bending points with transverse slits 28, as shown. The float-indicator may also be made by merely attaching the teeth 25 and 26 to the body portion thereof, by means of small hinges made of glass, porcelain, or neutral metal, such as silver, nickel, etc. The float-indicator has its body portion apertured, as shown at 29, for receiving the headed stud 30 carried by a button 31, formed of glass or the like. This button is preferably suitably colored to be readily distinguished from the liquid in the bottle.

The float-indicator is arranged between the bars 12 and 13, with the teeth 26 down, slidably engaging the inner sides of the smooth guide bars 12 while the teeth 25 engage the teeth of the rack-bars 13. As the float-indicator travels downwardly when the level of the liquid lowers these teeth 25 make it impossible for the floatindioator to move upwardly until the same after being.

cup engages the teeth 25 and bends them upwardly, causing their free ends to be circumterentially contracted and moved out of engagement with the teeth of the rack bars. hen the bottle is again inverted to en tirely empty it, the indicator and cup are fed downwardly and drop to a point adjacent the neck 11. The projections 20 engage the outer end of the cup 16, stopping its movement, while the float-indicator with 'its teeth circumferentially contracted passes by inertia out of the cup and moves into the chamber 18 and thereupon being released the teeth expand. The teeth 25 prevent the float-indicator from being removed from the bottle while the teeth 26 prevent the same from moving inwardly. The float-indicator now serves to close the neck of the bottle preventing refilling without the destruction of the fioat-indicator.

It is to ,be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape,

size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim 2- 1. The combination with a bottle; of rack bars extending longitudinally thereof; an indicator formed of a sheet of cork pro vided with radial slits forming teeth which are integral with the body portion of the sheet, said sheet being provided at the roots of the teeth with transverse slits for forming hinge joints for the teeth; and a button secured to the sheet.

2. The combination with a bottle; of alter- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by

nate smooth guide and rack-bars extending longitudinally therein; a float-indicator provided with sets of teeth pivotally connected therewith to swing in opposite directions and engaging with sets of smooth guide and rack-bars; and a cup arranged between the bars and provided w long-1' ranged between the guide bars to slidably engage therewith and having upwardly swinging teeth adapted to engage with the teeth of the rack-bar; and a button carried by the float-indicator.

1. The combination with a bottle; of a plurality of rack-bars extending longitudinally therein and having ratchet teeth facing downwardly; a plurality of smooth guide bars extending longitudinally within the bottle between the rack-bars and projecting inwardly beyond them for a substantial distance; a hollow ring secured to the lower ends of said bars to form an elevation from thebottom of the bottle; a cup arranged to slide between the bars and having longitudinal openings to receive the smooth guide bars; a float-indicator arranged between the guide bars and having teeth adapted to swing downwardly and engage with the smooth guide bars and teeth to engage with the teeth of the rack-bars and adapted to swing upwardly; a button carried by the float-indicator; and a ring secured to the upper end of the bars and provided with a chamber and stop shoulders and a groove exteriorly of the stop shoulders.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWVARD E. OETTINGER.

\Vitnesses A. WEIL, H. CLINTON HILL.

addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

